Russia has showed support to South Sudan, particularly in its capacity as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, as well as in its readiness to mediate negotiations between opposing sides in the country, South Sudan's Ambassador to Russia Chol Tong Mayay Jang told Sputnik Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th November, 2019) Russia has showed support to South Sudan, particularly in its capacity as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, as well as in its readiness to mediate negotiations between opposing sides in the country, South Sudan's Ambassador to Russia Chol Tong Mayay Jang told Sputnik Wednesday."Russia has been supporting South Sudan and particularly in the UN Security Council several times. This a good gesture from the side of Russia, that they has been supporting us, and during the independent, is one of the first countries which also recognize South Sudan as independent country. So we can say that our bilateral relations are good, we are working to improve them to the better," Mayay said.
The ambassador went on to recount how Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Rybakov and Presidential Envoy to the middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov expressed their readiness to help mediate negotiations between the government of President Salva Kiir and rebels led by Riek Machar. Although Russia has not received an official invitation to the talks, it has closely monitored and followed-up in the role of an observer, Mayay said.
At the Russia-Africa Forum held in Sochi late October, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed a memorandum of understanding on international cooperation with South Sudan, which was represented as the forum by Kiir.
South Sudan, often referred to as the youngest nation in the world, fell into a protracted civil war shortly after gaining independence in 2012. The conflict has hampered the nation's ability to significantly develop beyond its status as a war-stricken but oil-rich province of Sudan, the country it broke away from in 2012.
